Path Deformer for Maya Simplifies Bending Geometry By Curve

VFX Artist Adrien Lambert started by using 3ds Max, and grew accustom to its path deformer modifier and how it works within the application. So naturally when he moved over to Maya, working with the similar Motion Path and Flow Path Object, he found it to be similar, but less intuitive to set up.

Path Deformer script brings Maya’s Motion Path & Flow Path together into a modeling driven toolset

Maya’s Flow Path Object and Motion Path were naturally intended for animation, but they can also be used for modeling. For example, if you needed a chain to wrap around an object, it is much easier to model the chain as a straight piece, and then wrap it around the object that you need.

This process in Maya falls under modeling tasks that are driven by tools that were largely developed for animation. If you have done this before, you know that both of the tool options and workflow for Motion Path and Flow Path are all for animation.

Adrien Lambert’s Math Deformer for Maya leverages the two native Maya tools, but centers them in a workflow that is much more suited for modeling.

The Path Deformer in Maya presents a panel that collects all the controls and properties that you will need to deform an object around a curve. All you need to do is to select the object and then select the curve that you want to use, and the Path Deformer script will connect the two.

The Path Deformer script for Maya also allows you to fix the twist on the lattice that belongs to the Flow Path, delete or reset all motion path nodes at once, and bake the final deformation for your model.

Path Deformer can be downloaded from Adrien’s site. Check out the Path Deformer Script for Maya, and the other great tools from Adrien Lambert.

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